”The War of the Revolution having thus begun, these resolutions did not fail to command general observance, and soon the most judicious measures were adopted to meet the coming struggle. All classes of citizens enlisted in the common defence, and the appeal of the provincial convention met a universal response. In all the counties committees of observation were appointed, whose duty it was to inquire into and report all violations of the resolves of the convention or congress; and committees of correspondence were organized who were empowered to convene county meetings and were charged with the duty of keeping up a correspondence with the other colonies. Military companies were formed; arms and ammunition collected; liberty was the watchword; and soldiers were gathering for defence.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of Charles County, at Port Tobacco Town, on the 2d day of January, 1775, in consequence of notice by the committee, Captain George Dent, chairman, John Gwinn, clerk:
Resolved, That a general subscription, to be managed and conducted by gentlemen in each hundred of this county, will be a most agreeable and effectual method to collect -what remains to be made up of the sum of money appointed to be raised in this County, by the last Provincial Convention.
Resolved, therefore, That the following gentlemen do forthwith open subscriptions in the respective hundreds for which they are appointed, to be offered to every free person in each hundred, and subscription taken, viz.:
Piccawaxen Parish—Mr. Samuel Love in the Lower Hundred, and Captain George Dent in the Upper Hundred.
Port Tobacco Parish—Mr. Josias Hawkins, and Captain Francis Ware, in the East Hundred, Mr. Samuel Hanson, Jr., in the Upper Hundred, Mr. Daniel Jenifer in Cedar-point Hundred, and Mr. Robert T. Hooe, in Port Tobacco Town.
Durham Parish—Captain Joseph H.Harrison, in the Lower Hundred, and Mr. William Smallwood in the Upper Hundred.
King George Parish—Captain John Dent, for the part within this County.
Trinity Parish—Mr. Belain Posey in the West Hundred, Doctor John Parnham, in the East Hundred, Mr. Alexander McPherson in Bryantown Hundred, and Mr. Robert Young, in Benedict Hundred.
“Resolved, That it is the duty of the said gentlemen to note, and return to the committee of this County, a list of such persons (if any there be) who are able, and on application refuse to subscribe, that their names and refusal may be recorded in perpetual memory of their principles.
Resolved, That the said gentlemen do, as soon as possible, collect the subscriptions to them respectively made, and pay the same to Philip Richard Fendall, Esquire, Treasurer, to be applied by the committee of this County to the purpose mentioned in the tenth resolve of the last Provincial Convention.
Resolved, That the gentlemen appointed to take subscriptions for the purpose aforesaid, do collect the subscriptions already made to the Town of Boston, and also do obtain such additional subscriptions for the relief of the brave sufferers in that distressed Town, as can be got, and that the whole may be made in readiness to be sent as soon as possible.
It is recommended by this meeting that the inhabitants of this County, in forming themselves to their respective Hundreds, as much as can with convenience be done, the following gentlemen, to wit: Philip Richard Fendall, George Dent, Jun., Daniel Jenifer Adams, William Harrison, John Skelton, John Lancaster, James Neale, Walter Rye, Thomas Sims, Joshua Saunders, Henry Boarman, John Craig, Robert Gill, Jun.; John Moran, and George Tubman, are, by this meeting, added to the committee of Observation for this County.
Ordered, that these proceedings bo published in the Maryland Gazette.
JOHN GWINN, Clerk.”
Reference Data:
History of Maryland, by John Thomas Scharf, 1879, pages 169-70
